“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5: 22-23

My sister took me out to eat Tuesday and asked me if I needed to go buy groceries.  I told her no, that I had plenty of food.  My freezer was full of food.  Yesterday, I started to take something out to thaw and all that was in there was ice.  I had completely forgotten that I had thrown everything away because of Hurricane Dennis.

I have had to swallow my pride and apply for food stamps several months ago.  I received a letter telling me they were going to issue food stamps to replace the food that we had to throw away due to the hurricane.  However, they are not going to issue mine for two more weeks.  I had ten dollars so I went to Wal-Mart today and got some canned goods and chips to last me until the first of next month.

While waiting for my ride to come, this man came up to me.  I had never seen him before.  He asked me if I needed some cash.  I asked him who he was and he just shook his head with tears in his eyes.  I knew immediately that he is a man who loves Jesus and desires to serve him.

Five years ago, I would not have accepted that money from a stranger.  However, five years ago, God spoke to me in Church and told me to give some money to the lady sitting in front of me.  I had less than a dollar and was embarrassed to give it to her, but I was obedient.  I have learned that not only does God bless us when we are obedient, it makes Him happy.  Today, the money that I had given out of obedience was multiplied back to me several times over.

Several years ago when I was living in Texas, God spoke to my heart and told me to give my computer to someone.  At that time, I was not serving God.  I went to church and sang the songs, but I had not accepted Jesus into my heart at that time.  I had just made a head commitment to him.

I am probably one of the most selfish people in the world.  I did not want to give that computer away, but I had read in the Bible that Jesus loved me so much that He died for me.  I decided that if He would give His Life for me, a horrible wretched sinner, then the least I could do was give the computer as He requested.

I heard a sermon preached many years ago, and the pastor said, “If you plant corn, you will get corn.  If you plant tomatoes, you will reap tomatoes”.  God had put it in my heart to plant a computer.  When the computer I had bought after I had given my old computer away failed on me and I didn’t have the money to go buy one, God provided a computer for me through someone who put it on his credit card and allowed me to make monthly payments to him.

What are you planting in God’s Garden?  Are you planting peace, smiles, love, compassion, and all other things that make Jesus happy and encourage others?  If you are planting discouragement, sarcasm, criticism, cruel words, and negative thoughts to others, that is exactly what you will get back.

I challenge all of us to start planting words of hope, love, peace, compassion, and encouragement to others.  Then, watch how Jesus will give them back to you in abundance.

July 28, 2005